WHAT IS THE NEW RULE?
The new requirements increase the number of required core courses from 16. One additional course must be a math course (algebra I or higher). The other additional core course may come from any of the following areas: English, mathematics, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, non-doctrinal religion or philosophy. Please see the important notice below about the elimination of computer science.

For the classes of 2007: Division I and Division II
If you plan to enroll as a full-time college student prior to August 1, 2008 (summer enrollment does not count), your eligibility will be determined under the new rule. That means that you must have 14 core courses to be eligible to practice, play and receive financial aid at a Division I school.

For the class of 2008: Division I only - 16 core courses
If you plan to enroll as a full-time college student on or after 2008, you will need to present 16 core courses in the following breakdown:

4 years of English

3 years of mathematics (Algebra I or higher)

2 years of natural/physical science (one must be a lab science)

1 year of additional English, math or science

2 years of social studies

4 years of additional core courses (from any area listed above, or from foreign language, non-doctrinal religion or philosophy)

Hot Issues

Information for home-schooled students
Students who were home schooled for any part of high school (grades nine through 12) must now register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Center. The eligibility center will determine whether they will be eligible for practice, competition and institutional financial aid at an NCAA Division I or Division II institution during their freshman year.

The eligibility center will perform preliminary and final certification reports for home-schooled students. The preliminary analysis of a student's academic record will enable the student to become aware of any deficiencies in their academic record and allow the student to rectify those deficiencies prior to high-school graduation.

It is important to note that before a preliminary certification may be performed, the eligibility center must receive the student release form (or registration form, which may be completed via the Internet), the registration fee, a transcript with at least six semesters represented, and official test scores on the ACT and/or SAT.

After high-school graduation, once the eligibility center receives the student's final transcript and proof of graduation, the eligibility center will perform a final certification.

Home-schooled students should register with the eligibility center by visiting the eligibility center Web site at web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/common/. From there, click on "Prospective Student-Athletes," then "Domestic Student Release Form" and follow the prompts.

Computer science being eliminated for core-course purposes
Computer science courses will no longer be able to be used for initial-eligibility purposes. This rule is effective August 1, 2005, for students first entering a collegiate institution on or after August 1, 2005. Computer science courses (such as programming) that are taught through the mathematics or natural/physical science departments and receive either math or science credit and are on the high school's list of approved core courses as math or science may be used after the August 1, 2005, date.

Register online!
Prospective student-athletes may register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Center on-line. Simply go to the Initial-Eligibility Center Web site. By registering on-line, prospects will be able to view their eligibility information on-line, and will not have to call the eligibility center for eligibility updates. On-line registration saves time, and allows prospective student-athletes to view their eligibility status up to six weeks faster than through the paper registration process.

Changes in SAT/ACT tests
The SAT and ACT have made changes their tests; one of the most significant changes is the addition of a writing component. On both the SAT and ACT, students will be asked to write an essay. The SAT writing section is mandatory, while the ACT writing section is optional.

The SAT will now have three parts: critical reading (formerly known as verbal), mathematics, and writing. Since each section is worth 200-800 points, the SAT score will now range from 600-2400.

Will the NCAA require a writing test as part of its initial-eligibility requirements?
The NCAA had determined that the writing component should not be required at the present time. The NCAA has noted the importance of reviewing research related to the impact of the writing component.

How will the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Center use the scores on the new SAT?
Because the critical reading and math sections will still be scored on a 200-800 point scale, the eligibility center will still combine those two sections for the combined score. The writing section will not be used. The eligibility center will use scores from the new SAT in combination with scores from the current SAT for the combined score.

What about ACT?
ACT is also adding a writing component, but the ACT writing component is optional. The scores on the ACT will remain the same.

Where can I get more information?
The College Board has information about the new SAT on its Web site at www.collegeboard.com, and ACT has information at www.act.org.

Specific questions regarding any of the information on this page may be answered by contacting the NCAA Membership Services staff at 317/917-6222.